Violin
Date1750-1850 ca.
Place MadeGermany, Europe
Place MadeAustria-Hungary, Europe
Place MadeItaly, Europe
Place MadeCzech Republic
Place MadeCzechoslovakia
Serial No.none
SignedWritten in black ink in imitation of print on paper label with lined texture: Carlo Antonio Teſtore figlio / Maggiore del fa Carlo Guiseppe[sic] / in Contrada Parga al ſegno de’ll / Aquita. 1736MarkingsWritten in black ink on inside of back between label and center joint: n121
Written in black ink on inside of back between label and bass rib: 2657
Written in pencil on lower rib near endpin: 2367
DescriptionThis eighteenth or nineteenth century violin is of unknown origin. The bridge, stamped Friedrich & Bro NY places it in the United States in the early 20th century.
Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce: very fine grain broadening toward the flanks
Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple: bird’s-eye figure; large maple dowel through back into top block on treble side of center joint; large maple dowel through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint; later ebony cap over top edge of button
Ribs: quarter-cut maple: plain; one-piece lower rib; one-piece lower rib with scored marks at top and bottom indicating center position
Head: maple: plain; tall, oval-shaped scroll
Neck: grafted: maple: medium curl
Arching: rises abruptly from edges in center bouts
Varnish: light golden
Fingerboard: ebony; thin; later
Nut: ebony; later
Tailpiece: varnished ebony; later
Tailgut: black plastic; later
Pegs: four rosewood; later
Saddle: ebony; wide; later
Endpin: rosewood; later
F-holes: wide-set; small eyes; curved, tapered wings
Linings: spruce
Corner blocks: spruce
Top block: spruce; wide; later
Bottom block: spruce
Bassbar: long; low height
Other: chisel marks on corner blocks; toothed plane marks on inside of ribs
DimensionsBack length: 359 mm
Upper bout width: 163 mm
Center bout width: 104 mm
Lower bout width: 201 mm
Upper rib height: 27-29 mm
Center rib height: 28-30 mm
Lower rib height: 28-30 mm
Total violin length: 595 mm
Stop length: 193 mm
Vibrating string length: 326 mm
Neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 133 mm
ProvenanceThe John Friedrich & Bros bridge in the case (B-154) is fitted to NMM 10,623, indicating that this instrument passed through their New York City shop sometime between 1883 and 1938.
Gift of Peter R. Schultz, Palos Verdes Estates, California, 2004.
Credit LineGift of Peter R. Schultz, 2004
Object number10623
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